In the evolving landscape of digital health tools, cognitive assessment platforms are gaining traction as objective measures of brain function that can be integrated into routine medical care. One such platform, Creyos, has drawn attention for its science-based approach to evaluating memory, reasoning, attention, and verbal abilities through gamified tasks that grab less than 15 minutes to complete. Developed by neuroscientists and clinicians, the tool aims to provide clinicians with quantifiable data that complements traditional subjective evaluations during wellness visits.
The company was co-founded by Adrian Owen, a neuroscientist renowned for his work in detecting awareness in patients with disorders of consciousness using neuroimaging techniques. Owen serves as Chief Scientific Officer at Creyos, bringing decades of research from institutions including the University of Western Ontario and the Brain and Mind Institute. His collaborator, Faraz Shafaghi, holds the role of Chief Product Officer, overseeing the translation of cognitive science into user-friendly digital assessments designed for clinical and research settings.
Creyos’ platform is built on over 30 years of validated cognitive testing paradigms, many of which originated from Owen’s research on how brain injuries and neurodegenerative conditions affect specific mental functions. The assessments are not diagnostic in isolation but are intended to track changes over time, offering a baseline that can help identify deviations from expected cognitive performance. This longitudinal approach allows clinicians to monitor subtle shifts that might otherwise go unnoticed until symptoms turn into more pronounced.
A key development in the adoption of such tools came with updates to Medicare’s Annual Wellness Visit (AWV) guidelines, which now include cognitive impairment assessment as a required component for beneficiaries aged 65 and older. Although the mandate does not specify a particular tool, it creates a pathway for FDA-cleared or clinically validated platforms like Creyos to be used in primary care settings to fulfill this requirement. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) outlines that providers must assess cognition using a validated method during the AWV, though the choice of instrument remains at the clinician’s discretion.
During a demonstration of the platform, Shafaghi illustrated how patients complete a series of short, interactive tasks on a tablet or computer, each targeting a distinct cognitive domain. For example, one exercise measures short-term memory by asking users to recall sequences of appearing and disappearing squares, while another evaluates verbal reasoning through word-category matching. Results are immediately scored and compared against age- and education-adjusted norms, generating a report that highlights strengths and areas of potential concern.
Owen emphasized that the value of regular cognitive screening lies not in detecting disease per se, but in establishing a personal benchmark that can inform conversations about brain health. He noted that factors such as sleep quality, stress levels, medication side effects, and even hearing loss can temporarily affect test performance, making repeat testing essential for distinguishing transient fluctuations from meaningful trends. This perspective aligns with growing interest in preventive neurology and the concept of “brain wellness” as part of holistic aging.
Creyos has pursued partnerships with healthcare systems, research networks, and occupational health programs to expand access beyond traditional neurology clinics. The platform is used in studies examining the cognitive effects of long COVID, chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (“chemobrain”), and recovery from concussion. In clinical trials, it has served as an objective outcome measure to assess whether interventions—ranging from cognitive training to pharmacological treatments—produce measurable changes in mental function over time.
Data privacy and security are central to the platform’s design, particularly given the sensitivity of health information. Creyos states that it complies with HIPAA regulations in the United States and adheres to GDPR standards for users in Europe. All data is encrypted in transit and at rest, and the company does not sell personal information to third parties. Users or their authorized representatives can request access to, correction of, or deletion of their data in accordance with applicable privacy laws.
While the tool is not intended to replace comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation, it offers a scalable option for initial screening or monitoring in resource-limited settings. Primary care physicians, who often lack time for lengthy assessments, may find value in a brief, repeatable measure that can be administered by medical assistants or technicians. Some insurers and employers have begun exploring its use in wellness programs, though widespread adoption depends on demonstrating clear clinical utility and cost-effectiveness.
Looking ahead, Owen and Shafaghi expressed interest in integrating Creyos with electronic health record (EHR) systems to streamline data flow and support population health management. They also highlighted ongoing efforts to validate the platform in diverse linguistic and cultural contexts, ensuring that performance differences reflect true cognitive variation rather than biases in test design. Such work is critical for equitable application across global populations.
As digital biomarkers continue to evolve, tools like Creyos represent a step toward more objective, data-informed approaches to monitoring neurological health. By grounding assessment in decades of cognitive science and making it accessible at the point of care, the platform seeks to empower both patients and providers with actionable insights—turning abstract concerns about “brain fog” or memory lapses into quantifiable metrics that can be tracked, discussed, and addressed.
For the latest information on Medicare’s Annual Wellness Visit requirements, including cognitive assessment guidelines, beneficiaries and providers can consult the official CMS website. Updates to coverage policies or approved screening tools are periodically published in the Federal Register and communicated through CMS transmittals.